Automatic electric toaster



Nov. 16, 1937. M. IRELAND AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TOASTER Filed March 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w I N VEN TOR. J

A TTORNEY.

Nov. 16, 1937. M. IRELAND 2,099,210

AUTOMATIC'ELECTRIG TOASTER Filed March 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly 5 T/me In Alma/e.

I I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

.25 responsive control devices.

Patented Nov. l6, 1937 I UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC 'roAs'rna Murray Ireland, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to McGraw Electric Company, Chicago, 111., a corpoi-ation of Delaware Application March 25, 1935, Serial No. 12,834

17 Claims; (Cl. 219-19) My invention relates to electric cooking devices tion, a single manually-actuable means for simuland particularly to electric toasters. :taneously moving the switch to closed position An object of my invention is to provide an elecand the bread slice support to operative position tric toaster having novel means for controlling and a single latching means to hold them in the the length of time of atoasting period jointly in last named positions. I provide a plurality of 5 accordance with the moisture content of a slice thermal elements to effect release of thelatch, of bread to be toasted and with the temperature the first thermal element comprising .an initially of the toaster. a deformed bimetal bar spring pressed into ,flat face Another object of my invention is to provide a engagement with one surface of a slice of,bread purely thermal means to control the duration of a by bread-positioning means actuated by a resili- 0 toasting period in accordance with all of the ent member associated with the manuallyactuvariables entering into the toasting operation to able moving means, the second thermal element obtain the desired degree of toasting of a 'slice of comprising a return-bent bimetal bar directly asbread. sociated with a set of contact members control- Another object of my invention is to provide a ling an electromagnetic latch-releasing means. heat responsive control means to effect release of The return-bent bimetal member has mounted a latch holding a switch and a bread support in thereon a mechanical meansto prevent overoperative positions, after a length of time deshooting of the thermal control means or hunting pendent on the temperatureconditions' of the thereof under varying temperature conditions of surface of a slice of bread and of .the toaster '.thetoaster. Manually operable adjusting means 20 structure. I is also provided to enable an operator to obtain Another object of my invention is to provide a any desired degree of toasting of successive slices heat responsive timing control for an electric of bread, within the range of operation of the toaster embodying novel forms of temperature toaster. V

1 In the drawings, 7 1 5 Another object of my invention is to provide an Figure 1 is a view, partially in vertical longielectric toaster having means therein for comtudinal section and partially in side elevation, of pensating for different thicknesses of successive an electric toaster embodying my invention,

slices of bread located therein. Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation thereof, with Another object of my invention is to provide a the casing removed, 0 I thermally controlled electric toaster having manv Fig. 3 is a view inlateral section, taken on the ual means to adjust the thermal control to enable line III-III of Fig. 1, an operator to vary the operation of the toaster Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof, to suit his own desires asto the degree of toast- Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation, but taken ing efiected thereby. from the opposite side of that shown in Fig. 1 of 35 Other objects of my invention will either be the drawings, pointed out hereinafter in the course of a de- Figs, 6 and '7 are diagrammatic wiring connecscription of one form of device embodying my intions which may be used, vention as now preferred by me or will be appar- Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on ent from'such description. the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 4, 40 While I have illustrated and described, in de- V Fig. 9 is a curve showing the temperature rise tail, one form of device embodying my invention, of a toaster structure, and, t it is to be understood that such illustration and Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view, in elevation and description are not to be considered as limiting on a slightly enlarged scale, of the thermal timing the claims thereto, but that all modifications device. coming within the scope of the appended claims A toaster assembly, designated in its entirety 'are to be included. t by ll, includes a base l3 which may be made of In'practicing my invention, I provide a casing sheet metal and which has depending integral having an opening therein for the insertion and portions l5 to constitute supports for the assemremoval of slices of bread, one or more extended bly, and to raise the bottom edges 11 of the base electric heating units located in the casing, a conl3 above a horizontal surface, such as a table, trol switch for the heating means, a bread slice upon which it may be supported. A casing l9 support movable relatively to the heating means, is also provided, the lower edge of which may be a single spring biasing the switch to open position suitably secured in any desired manner to the and the support to substantially inoperative posiupper surface of the base l3. The casing 19 is tensions which move in verticalslots 35 provided at its top portion with a slot 2| to permit of the insertion of successive slices of bread into the casing to be toasted therein and to be removed therefrom.

I provide further a plurality of vertically extending flat heating units comprising one or more sheets of electric insulating material 23, preferably mica, having wound thereon a resistance wire or ribbon 25, in a manner now well known in the art. These two heating units are spaced apart a suitable distance and are supported in such operative positions by any suitable means, not specifically shown in the drawings. A plurality of vertically extending guide wires 21 are provided, each having a short lateral extension at its upper end extending through an opening in a horizontally-extending interior top frame portion 29,-the object of these vertically extending wires or .rods being to guide a slice of bread as it is moved into the proper operative position between the' spaced-apart heating elements and as it is removed from such operative position. The slice of bread is indicated by 3| and it is to be noted that it rests upon ahorizontally extending bread slice support 33 which is movable in a vertical direction downwardly from the position shown particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings to va position where the slice of bread is located entirely within the casing and in position to be acted upon by the radiant heat developed by the current passing through the resistor wire 25. The bread slice support 33 is provided with end exprovided in a lateral front intermediate wall 31 and in a rear intermediate wall 38 whose position is best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the front partitionjwall being effective to divide the space within the easing into a heating or cooking chamber, namely that in which the slice of bread may be toasted, and into a mechanism chamber 39 whose position is also best shown in Fig. ,1 of the drawengaged from the fixed contact member 43.

The arm 4] is pivotally mounted at 5| on a bracket 53, which bracket may be of L-shape and have one part thereof suitably secured against the partition wall 31. Means for actuating the switch arm 41 to cause closing of the switch may comprise a link 55 pivotally connectedto an extension 5'! on an actuating arm 59, which actuating arm is pivotally mounted on a shaft 6| which latter is suitably supported by the rear inner partition wall 38. As it is desired to bias the switch to its open position the arm 59 is further provided with a depending arm 63 extending through the base I3 and a short distance therebelow in order its other end located in aslot 61 provided in the base I3, one wall of the slot being provided with a number of teeth 69 to permit of varying the tension of the spring 65. The construction of the heating elements and of the switch are well known and form no part of my present invention.

, Means for moving the bread slice support 33 downwardly comprises an upright post II having its lower end suitably mounted in and secured to the base I3, while its upper end is similarly fixedly mounted in a forward extension I3 of the auxiliary frame member 29 hereinbefore described. A frame "I5 is slidably mounted on the post II, this frame being of substantially L-shape and having a rearwardly extending portion 11 which is suitably secured to and supports the bread slice support 33. The frame I5 is provided with lateral guide bearing extensions 19 adapted to freely slide upon the post TI. A second frame member 8| is also slidably mounted on the post II and has guide bearings 83 at its upper end and at its lower end. It isto be noted that the frame 8| ismovable on the guide post relatively to the first frame heretofore described. The arm 59 is provided at its forward end with a laterally extending pin or stub shaft 85, the outer end of which extends into and moves in a slot 87 provide'd'in a forwardly extending portion 89 of theframe member I5 so that as the frame member I5 is moved downwardly, as by the movement of the second frame member 8|, the arm 59 will be moved in a clockwise direction and thereby effect closing of the switch comprising the two carbon contact members 43 and 49. The link 55 is provided with a slot 9| adjacent its forward end and the arm 41 of the switch is provided with a pin 93 extending through the slot BI and connected by a spring 95 to the arm 55.

A latching means to hold the switch in its closed position and the bread slice support in its operative position includes a bell crank lever 9'! pivotally mounted at the lower end. of the first frame member I5, and having a hook portion 99 'at.its lower end, the construction of this latch,

being best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. A spring wire IIlI- is associated therewith in such manner as to tend to turn the bell crank lever 91 in a clockwise direction so that the rear edge of the upper part thereof will rest against a stop I03 provided on the second frame member 8| hereinbefore described. When the frame members hereinbeforedescribed aretmoved downwardly, as may-be done by an operator pressing downwardly on an actuating knob or handle I05 secured to the second frame member 8| and more particularly'to a forwardly extending portion I01 thereof, the hook portion 99 of the latch 91 will move through a' suitable opening I09 in the base and engage either an edge of one wall of the opening or against a hardened steel plate, not shown in the drawings.

Electric and more particularly electromagnetic means forreleasing the latch includes a coil III which is supported in the upper end of a strap metal frame member 3 having inturned lower end portions secured to the upper surface of the base I3 by suitable means here shown as screws I I5. The coil I I I has associated therewith a ver-' tically movable armature II'| Whose upper end is guided by a suitable structure within the coil itself and whose lower end has secured thereto a bar I I9 extending downwardly through an open ing I2I in the base so that the armature II! and n n thebar I I9 will move in a substantially straight to have connected thereto a spring 65 which has line in a vertical-direction. A laterally-extending lug I23 is pivotally mounted on the bar H9 at its upperend and is of such dimensions and shape that it may engage'the inner or rear arcuate surface of the upper portion of arm 91, causing the arm to move in a counterclockwise direction whereby to release the shoulder or hook 99 from its engagement with a wall of the opening I09. The spring 65 will then cause the return of 2,099,210 the arm 59 to the position shown in Fig. 5 of the ingly press the member I55 downwardly to an excontrolling the en-" drawings whereby the switch ergization of the heating elements is opened, while at the same time the bread slice support is returned to its upper or inoperative position in which a part of the slice of bread extends above the upper end of the casing so that it may be grasped by an operator and be removed from the casing.

A skeleton frame I25 is in general of L-shape and comprises a lower horizontally-extending part and which has an upwardly extending portion I29, which may be in general of bar-shape and which extends at substantially right angles to the wardly extending arm I31 having one side of ar-v cuate shape, as shown particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, in order to guide one surface of a slice of bread as it is being moved downwardly, into proper toasting position. A bimetal bar I39 has its upper end suitably rigidly secured to the upper end of arm I29 and its intermediate portion is engaged by an arm I4I having an opening therein, through which the bimetal bar extends. 'I'he bimetal bar I39 is initially bowed outwardly relative to the central vertical plane of the toaster and is so supported at its upper end that the lower end is normally located closer to the central vertical plane than is the upper end thereof. The extreme lower end portion is bent away from the central vertical plane so that it may not catch or hook into a slice of bread when the latter is being moved upwardly after having been toasted. The upper end of member I25 may be forked in order to protect the lower end of bimetal bar I39 from accidental injury.

In order that the bimetal bar I39 may be straightened out and be in close surface engagement with the slice of bread while the same is being toasted, I provide a bread slice positioning means including a bell crank lever I43 which. is pivotally mounted on a bracket I45 secured to the bottom of the base I3 adjacent the opening I30 therein. The arm I43 is biased in or toward a given position. by a spring I49, this position being that in which the bell crank lever I43 is in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A bread slice engaging bar I5I is pivotally mounted, intermediate its ends, at the upper end of bell crank lever I43 so that it may adapt itself to close surface engagement with one side of a slice of bread being toasted. A pair of spaced lugs I53 are provided on the upper end of bell crank lever I43 adapted-to be located inrecesses in bar I5I in order to limit the extent of pivotal movement of the bar on the bell crank lever.

'Means for causing the bell crank lever I43 to be moved in a clockwise direction, as seen particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, include a depending member I55, which as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings may slidable on a depending arm I51 constituting a part of thebread slice support 33. A spring I59 is located between these two members to yield- I21, which is of channel shape in lateral section. and is secured to the under side of base I3 be of substantially U-shape' tent determined by a pin ISI movable in a small slot in the two side portions of member I55. The

bottom end of member I55 is adapted to engage My invention includes not only a bimetal bar of the kind hereinbefore described and adapted to.

be located in close operative engagement with one surface of a slice of bread during substanitially all of the toasting period, but it also includes means for compensating for the temperature rise of the toaster casing or of the toaster assembly as well as of the main thermostat itself. This part of my invention includes a substantially fixed contact member I61 mounted on a relatively heavy and stiff spring I69 whose lower end is insulatedly supported on a pivotally mounted bracket I1I. "A movable contact arm I13-is also insulatedly supported on the same bracket, HI and has secured thereto, at its upper end, a bracket I15, of substantially channel shape, which bracket supports a bimetal bar I11, of substantially U-shape, one end of which is secured to the bracket I15 while the other 'end has secured thereto a small cylindrical or tubular member I19 of electric-insulating material such as porcelain, which member is adapted to be mechanically engaged by the extreme lower end of bimetal bar I39, in a manner which will be'hereinafter deing, I provide manual adjusting means now to be described. The bracket "I is rigidly supported,

as has alre'adybeen mentioned, on a pivot pin I83, whichpivot pin I83 is-provided with a bell crank portion I85 for which see Fig. 8 of the drawings. The pivot pin or shaft I83 is supported by the bracket I 21. A short helical spring I81 tends to turn the auxiliary or compensating thermostat structure in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A short cam I89 is fixedly mounted adjacent to the inner end of a shaft I9I whose inner end may be supported in the bracket I21, while its outer end is supported in a bracket I93, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings. At its extreme forward end the shaft I9I has fixedly secured thereto an 'arm I95 having a toothed sector I91 at its upper of the appliance may manually adjust the opera- 1 tion of the device.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, I"

have there illustrated two different diagrams of connections which I may utilize in the control of the heating elements. Referring first to Fig. 6

of th drawings I have illustrated a diagram of con ections in which the coil III is normally shunted or short circuited by the cooperating contacts IB'la'nd I13. In order'to energize the latch-releasing mechanism and more particularly the coil III it is necessary that the contact members I 61 and I13 be disengaged and this operation is the one effected by the structure shown in the drawings and hereinbefore described.

. Fig. 7 of the drawings shows a modification thereof in that the coil I II is energized by engagement of the contact arms I61 and I13, in which case it is necessary to so design the compensating thermostat structure that movement thereof, as by the bimetal arm I39, will cause the desired engagement of these contact arms.

Before setting forth the operation of the above described appliance, a brief discussion of the j problem of purely thermal control of a cooking appliance, exemplified in a toaster, may be given here to point out how the problem is met in the toaster structure hereinbefore described. There are three parts or members to be considered in a toaster as to their temperature conditions, first the appliance structure itself, second, the slice of bread being toasted and third, the thermal control element. It may be noted here that the heating element and more particularly the resistor itself operates at a relatively high-temperature on the order of 1400" F. and it is desirable to so design and construct the heating element that it has little thermal mass and will heat up quickly. The initial temperature of successive slices of bread is substantially the same, that is they are at room temperature. However, the freshness or staleness of the bread must also be considered, that is whether it is moist or dry, and finally as to the bread itself, whether the bread is light or heavy, as well as the thickness of the slices of bread.

Thus a thin dry slice of bread will be toasted to a desired degree of brownness in a shorter time than will be required for a thick moist slice of bread. It may alsobe noted that since the temperature of the radiant heat generated by the heating elements is substantially the same and is much higher than the permissible temperature of the surface of a slice of bread, the temperature of the surface of a slice of bread being toasted is a direct measure of the degree of toasting and may be utilized as a control means for stopping the toasting operation as is well known in the art. A fresh moist slice of bread will have a greater thermal mass than a stale dry sliceof bread, and a longer time will be required to sear or toast the fresh moist slice of bread than will be required for the stale'dry slice of bread, hence the surface temperature as indicated by a bimetal bar in engagement therewith, is a measure of the initial moisture content of the bread slice. The greater the initial moisture content, the lower the surface temperature at the end ofa given time or the longer the time required to raise the surface temperature to a given or desired value.

The temperature of the interior of the toaster structure may rise to a value on the order of 400 F., after long continued operation, and its curve of temperature rise is the so-called logarithmic curve, being initially quite rapid, gradually slowing down and then finally flattening out. A curve of this kind is shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, and is indicated by the numeral '205. From this it will be seen that the curve of temperature rise is not a simple one but is a relatively complicated one. The rise of temperature toaster structure.

of the thermal element is substantially the same or at least generally similar to that of the toaster structure, especially so if the thermal control means is properly designed and located in the toaster structure itself.

As has already been hereinbefore set forth it is desired to provide a toaster or, more generally, an assembly for a cooking appliance, that will enable an operator or user of an appliance of this kind to determine in advance the kind of toast to be made by the appliance irrespective of its thermal condition resulting from infrequent intermittent use, from frequent intermittent use, from continuous use, or when starting with a cold structure. The kind of toast is to be determined by the temperature of a' surface of a slice of bread being toasted as affected by the thermal conditions of a toaster structure,.or possibly by variations in the voltage of a supply circuit to which the heating elements are connected. Let it be assumed that the toaster is cold and that an operator inserts a slice of bread into the casing through the slot in the upper portion thereof, then presses downwardly on the actuating knob I to simultaneously close the switch and to move the bread slice support into proper toasting position, all as has hereinbefore been described. The curve of temperature rise is substantially that shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings and since all of the parts were cold at the start a longer time will be required to toast 2. piece of bread to a desired degree then would be necessary if the toaster were started hot. The length of time required to properly toast a slice of bread may be indicated by the broken line 201 and the temperature value reached by the toaster assembly is indicated by the point 209 on the curve. If now a second piece of bread is located in the toaster and is also toasted to the same degree as was the first slice of bread,- the length of time required will be less and will in general be shown by the broken line 2| I, the temperature of the toaster assembly rising to the value 2l3. If now a third slice of bread is toasted, without any appreciable delay, a still shorter time will be required for obtaining the same degree of toasting thereof as was obtained for the first two slices and the length of time may be indinecessary that a fully thermally controlled cooking appliance of this kind be so designed and constructed as to recognize this condition of operation, which is not only effective when starting with a cold toaster, but is also effective, to a greater or to a lesser degree, in thecase of intermittent use of the toaster.

As has already been set forth, it is necessary to provide a thermal means which takes into consideration the temperature condition of the toaster structure itself and of the main thermal ele-. ment I 39, and the return bent bimetal element H1 is the means provided by me for taking care of or reflecting the temperature condition of the I have found that the location of this bimetal element, as well as its design and mass must all be considered if it is to reflect the temperature conditions of the toaster. It is obvious that no matter how small the mass of the bimetal element, it will still have a time lag and that it must absorb some heat before it can follow the temperature rise of the toaster structure. The positioning of this auxiliary or compensating bimetal element must therefore be slice of bread witha greater force than when it is with a slice of hot. Its movement away from the surface of a slice of bread will therefore be greater for a first operation, i. e. starting with a cold toaster, than for a second operation or for succeeding toasting operations, with the temperature of the toaster increasing gradually to a maximum value. If therefore the tubular insulator I19 is located at a given position, relatively to the end of the bimetal bar I39, when all the parts are cold, itshould be moved farther away from the end of bar I39, as the temperature of the parts increases, in order that successive slices of bread' may be toasted to the same degree.

In addition thereto it is necessary that the response of the free end of the bimetal bar I11 follow very closely the curve 205, hereinbefore described. If no additional means were provided bimetal bar I11 itself, its response would not follow that prescribed by curve205, but would be directly proportional to the temperature rise,.which is not desired. The provision of the small screw I8I. permits of obtaining a movement of the free end of bimetal cooperating with the bar I11 which is more directlyin accordance with the curve 205 in that it results in a greater initial response of the bimetal element I11 than is obtained when the bimetal element and the toaster structure are at a higher temperature. This particular part of the operation is more clearly disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application S. N. 20,110, filed May 6, 1935, to which application reference may be had for additional details. In general, the end of screw I8I is out of engagement with the'other leg of the bimetal bar I11, when the structure is cold, sothat the free end of the bimetal bar can move freely, but when the end of screw I8I engages the other leg of bar I11 the movement of the free end is reduced so that its response per unit change of ternperature is greater at lower temperature ranges than it is at higher temperature ranges. This enables it to follow very closely the curve 205.

The bimetal bar I11 is so designed and constructed that the high expansion component is on the outside thereof so that the upper end thereof will move toward the right, as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, upon an increase in the temperature thereof.

I wish to here point out that the provision of an initially outwardly bowed bimetal bar I39 which is spring pressed into close operative engagement with one surface of a slice of bread, constitutes a very important detail in my invention, since it permits the bimetal element to remain in its initial close operative engagement bread during substantially all of the toasting period, so that the bimetal element responds very closely to the temperature rise of the surface of the bread. It is obvious that if thebimetal element were initially straight and in engagement with a surface of a slice of bread when both were relatively cold, it would not remain in such engagement for any appreciable length of time but would be deflected or moved away therefrom so that it would not reflect or mirror the temperature condition of the surface of the slice of bread. I consider the use of an crank lever I43 to against the other surface of bread slice 3| with initially deformed relatively small bimetal bar maintained in close operative engagement with a surface of a slice of bread being toasted, during substantially all of the toasting period, as, a very important element of my invention. -'-Ihe initial deformation of this bimetal bar is such that it will not'be deflected until the temperature of a surfaceof the slice of bread being not be the case if the bimetal bar were initially,

straight and moved away from the surface of the slice of bread early in the toasting operation. Ashas just been set forth above, the bimetal bar I11 is to effect a movement of insulating member I19 to the right, as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and the design and construction of the two bimetal members is such that when the temperature of the surface of the slice of bread has reached a predetermined value, which value is dependent upon the degree of toasting desired, the lower end of bimetal bar I39 engages the insulating member mined by the movement of the free end of bimetal bar I11, and moves it to the right to thereby effect disengagement of the two contact arms I61 and I13. This effects energization of coil III of the latch-releasing means, armature I I1 is quickly moved upwardly and lug I23 engages the upperend of latch 91 to thereby effect release of the latch with resultant upward movement of the bread slice the switch controlling heating element.

Simultaneously with the final downward movement of the bread slice support 33 the lower end of member I55 engages the upper end of adjustthe energization of the ing screw I63 on the bread slice positioning turning movement of the bell force positioning bar I55 means, causes a resultant slight lateral movement of the bread slice on its support so that the other surface thereof will be in close operative engagement with the bimetal bar I39 whereby the same is straightened out in the manner hereinbefore described.

The operation of the manual adjusting means hereinbefore described is obvious and no further detailed description-thereof is given. It is fur ther obvious that manual adjustment of the shaft 29I results in afdifferent position of the auxiliary or compensating thermostatic structure including more particularly the return-bent bimetal bar I11.

The device embodying my invention thus provides a completely thermal control for a cooking appliance, as exemplified in a toaster, which thermal control respondsnot only to the'temperature conditions of the toaster structure, but also to the degree of moisture initially in a slice of bread being toasted, as well as to the kind of bread, that is as'to whether it is light or heavy. My ing voltage conditions of an energizing circuit to which the heating elements are connected, since such variations will result in changes in the general temperature conditions of the toaster.

I19, whose position is deter-.

support and opening of improved toaster is responsive also to vary I claim as my invention:

1. An electric toaster comprising in combination, a casing, a heating element therein, a bread slice support spring-biased to one position, means for moving -it to and latching it in a second position and thermally-actuated latch-releasing means including an initially outwardly bowed bimetal bar adapted to have substantially its entire length closely operatively engaging the surface of a slice of bread being toasted during substantially all of the toasting period, and means actuated by the bread slice support to effect and maintain said close engagement.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 and including a second bimetal bar cooperating with the first thermal latch-releasing means, said second bimetal her being responsive to the temperature within the casing.

3. An electric toaster comprising in combination, a casing, a heating means therein, a control switch for the heating means, a movable bread slice support, a single means for yieldingly biasing the switch to its open position and for biasing the bread slice support to a predetermined position, a single means for manually moving the switch to its closed position and the bread slice support to a second predetermined position, latching means holding the switch closed and the support in its second position, a heat responsive latch releasing means including an initially-deformed bimetal bar having its intermediate portion normally bowed away from a bread slice and adapted to engage the surface of a slice of bread being toasted and means actuated by the means moving the switch to its closed position and the bread slice support to its second position for pressing the slice of bfead being toasted into close operative engagement with the bimetal bar over substantially its entire length to cause removal of the initial deformation thereof.

4. An electric toaster comprising in combination, a casing, a heating element therein, a control switch therefor, a bread slice support movable relatively to the heating element into inoperative and operative positions, a single spring means for yieldingly biasing the switch to its open position and the bread slice support to its inoperative position, a manually operable means for moving the switch to closed position and the bread slice support to its operative position, a latching means holding the switch closed and the bread slice support in its operative position, a heat responsive latch releasing means including an initially deformed bimetal bar having its intermediate portion bowed outwardly away from a slice of bread and located in a position in the casing to operatively engage one surface of a slice of bread being toasted and a pivotally mounted arm located adjacent to the other surface of a slice of bread being toasted and moved into close engagement therewith by the manually operable means to press the one surface of the slice of bread tightly against the bimetal bar and straighten out the bar thereagainst.

5. A device 'as set forth in claim 4 and including resilient means on the bread slice support to compensate for different thicknesses in'successive slices of bread.

6. An electric toaster comprising in combination, a casing, a pair of spaced-parallel-extending heating elements, a bread slice support movable between the heating elements into operative and inoperative positions, a. spring for biasing the bread slice support to inoperative position, manual means for moving it to operative position, a latch for holding it in operative position, a heat-responsive latch-releasing means comprising an initially deformed bimetal bar having its intermediate portion bowed outwardly away from a slice of bread and located between the heating elements in position to engage one surface of a slice of bread located 'on said support when in its operative position and a bread-slice-positioning means actuated by the manual bread-slice-support-moving means to press the slice of bread against the bimetal bar.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the bread slice support includes a resilient member tending to compensate for differences in the thicknesses of slices of bread being toasted.

8. An electric toaster comprising in combination, a casing, a heating means therein, a control switch for the heating means, a movable bread slice support, a single means for yieldingly biasing the switch in its open position and for biasing the bread slice support to a predetermined position, a single means for manually moving the switch to its closed position and the bread slice support to a second predetermined position, latching means holding the switch closed and the support in its second position and thermally-controlled electromagnetic means responsive jointly to the surface temperature of a slice of bread being toasted and the temperature within the casing for releasing the latching means, said thermally-controlled means including a first bimetal bar initially deformed to have its intermediate portion normally bowed away from a slice of bread, means actuated by the bread slice support to cause the bimetal bar to closely operatively engage the surface of a slice of bread being toasted during substantially the entire toasting period, a second bimetal bar responsive to casing temperature adapted to be operatively engaged and moved by the first bimetal bar to control the circuit of the electromagnet, and means carried by the second bimetal. bar to cause its response to a certain change in temperature at lower temperature values to-be greater than for the same change in temperature athigher temperature values.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 and including a manually actuable means for adjusting the initial position of the second bimetal bar.

10. A deviceas set forth in claim 8 in which said second bimetal bar is return bent upon itself and the said means carried by the second bimetal bar comprises an adjustable set screw mounted on one leg and extending toward the other leg of the return bent bimetal bar.

11, An electric toaster comprising in combination, a casing, a heating element therein, a control switch for the heating element, a bread slice support movable relatively to the heating element, a single spring means biasing the switch to open position and the bread slice support to non-toasting position, a single manually movable means for moving the switch to closed position bimetal bar located to be operatively engaged by the other end of the first bimetal bar, a contact movable by the second bimetal bar, a substantially fixed contact cooperating with, the first contact, a pivotally mounted support for and a latch release circuit controlled by the two contacts.

12. A device as set forth in claim 11 and including an adjusting knob for the pivotally mounted support, located on the outside of the casing and manually movable to vary the time of a toasting operation.

13. An electric toaster comprising in combina- 7 tion, a casing, a heating element therein, a control switch for the heating element, a bread slice support movable relatively to the heating element, springmeans biasing the switch to open position and the bread slice support to inoperative position, manually-actuable means for moving the switch to closed position and the bread slice support to operative position, a. latch for holding the switch in closed position and the bread slice support in operative position and a thermallycontrolled electromagnetic latch-releasing means including a coil, an armature movable by said coil, a latch releasing member carried by the armature, a pair of bimetal bars adapted to engage with and be disengaged from each other to control the energization of said coil, a pair of contact members electrically connected to the coil and controlled by movements of one of said bimetal bars, said one bimetal bar being responsive to the surface temperature of a slice of bread being toasted and being initially bowed outwardly away from a slice of bread and closely operatively engaging the bread surface during substantially the entire toasting period and the other bimetal bar being responsive to the temperature within the casing and means on said other bimetal bar to cause its response for a given change in temperature to be greater for lower temperature ranges than for higher temperature ranges.

14. An electric toaster comprising in combination, a heating element, a control switch therefor spring-biased to open position, a manually-actuable means to close said switch, a latch for holding the switch in closed position and thermallyactuated means for releasing the latch including a bimetal bar having its intermediate portion normally bowed away from a slice of bread being toasted, adapted to have substantially all of its length closely operatively engaging a surface of the slice of bread during substantially all of the the second I bimetal bar, the movable and the fixed contact,

toasting period and means actuated by the switch-closing means to effect and maintain said close engagement.

15. An electric toaster comprising in combination, a casing, a heating element, a control switch therefor spring-biased to open position, manuallyactuable means to close the switch, a latch for holding the switch in closed position and thermally-controlled electromagneticallyeactuated latch-releasing means including a bimetal bar having its intermediate portion normally bowed away from a slice of bread being toasted adapted to have substantially its entire length closely operatively engaging a surface of a slice of bread being toasted during substantially all of the toasting period, means actuated by the switch closing means to effect and maintain such engagement,

a second bimetal bar responsive to the temperature of the casing adapted to engage with and. be disengaged from the first bimetal bar and an electric circuit containing said electromagnet controlled by the first bimetal bar.

16. An electric toaster comprising in combination, a casing, a heating element therein, a bread slice support spring-biased to non-toasting position, manually-actuable means for moving it to toasting position, a latch for holding it in toasting position and thermally-controlled electromagnetic latch rel-ease means including a first bimetal bar having its' intermediate portion normally bowed away from a slice of bread being toasted, means actuated by said bread slice support moving means tocause it to be pressed into close operative engagement with the surface of a slice of bread being toasted, a second bimetal bar responsive to the temperature of the casing adapted to engage with and be disengaged from said first bimetal bar to control said electromagnetic latch release and means directly associated with the second bimetal bar to cause its response to predetermined initial rise of temperature to be greater than its response to subsequent predetermined temperature rise to cause successive slices of bread to be toasted to the same degreeirrespective of the temperature of the casing.

17. A device as set forth in claim 13 and including an adjusting means for bodily shifting the pair of contact members and having an actuating knob located on the outside of the casing manually movable to vary the duration of a toasting operation.

MURRAY IRELAND. 

